A short account of the yellow fever in Philadelphia, for the reflecting Christian

PjMgg

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

WASHINGTON, D. C

GPO 16—67244-1

\

SHORT AC COUNT

OF THE

YELLOW FEVER

I N

PHILADELPHIA,

FORTH!

REFLECTING CHRISTIAN.

BY

J. HENRY C. H E L M U T H,
Minifter of the Lutheran Congregation.

translated from the german by
Charles Erdmann.

Copy Right Secured according to Law,

:?ocfi

PHILADELPHIA:

p s ,,, ED by JONES, HOFF & DERRICK^
No. 8, North Fifth-Street.
M,PCC,XCIY.

ADVERTISEMENT.

THIS Pamphlet may be had of Tobias Hirt at
Mr. Gehrhard's, North Second-Street, next
door to the Widow Rafer's Tavern, North-weft
corner of Second and Race-Streets, No. 118,
and by Jacob Ritter, Front-Strp^t, the third door
below Arch-Strcct, on the Bank-fide, No. 6j.

Price three dollars per dozen, or twojhillings and
four-pence '/ingle copy*

THE

i

PROPRIETOR'S

PREFACE.

THE proprietor of the following pages having
read with much pleafure the original work, written
in the German Language, was very defirous to fee
it in an Englijh drefs. Be communicated this idea
to the author of the work, who readily granted him
permijfion to tranflate it, and generoufly relinquijhed
to him all the emolument, which might arife Jrom
fuch an undertaking. The tranflator is only forry
that he has not been able to do full jufticeto the work.
He is aware that it has not the cafe or accuracy
which the author gave it in his own language. The
ideas, however, it is hoped, are materially preferved,
and the diclion fuch as will not be found offenfive.
To do good was the defign of the original publication.
To render this defign more extenfively fucccfsful has
been the objetl of the proprietor ; in which he trufts,
that, he will not be altogether difappointed.

TOBIAS HIR T.

Li/hof all the Burials in the fever al grave -yards of

the city and liberties of Philadelphia, as taken
from the feveral books kept by clergymen, fextons,

&c. from Augufl ifl to November gth, 1793.

Proteilant ( thrift Church 173

t- - r 1. < St. Peter s iog

J^piicopalians ) Cl _ ^ „ y

r r C St. Pauls 70

f Firil 73

; Second 128

Prefbyterians ^ Third 107

J Scotch 1 2

(^ Seceders 33

p nm , n n „ C St. Mary's 251

Koman Ca- S ^ .1 D

< German part do. 30

C Trinity 54

tholics.
Friends

373

Free-Quakers, returned in grofs 39

German S Lutherans 64.

Calvinifts 261

Moravians 13

Swedes 75

Baptifts, returned in grofs. 50

Methodifls do. 32

Univerfalifts 2

Jews 2

Kenfington 1 69
Potter's field, including 7

the new ground 3 1 334-

4031

SHORT ACCOUNT, csV.

J E R E M, CH. IX. I.

Oh ! that my head <were waters and mine eyes a

fountain of tears, that I might weep day and

night for the flain of the daughters of my people I

W HOEVER has feen the diftrefs of our
deeply ami&ed city; whoever has fhared in it
by the lofs of friends and relations and whoever
is only fufceptible of human feelings, will un-
doubtedly break out in fimilar lamentations with,
thofe of the Prophet, for Philadelphia in thefe days
of mourning.

There are few cities upon which the Lord had
poured forth richer bleffings, than on this ; and
there are but few indeed, that have beenplungeci
by his jufl judgment into a deeper abyfs of di-
ftrefs, than our now weeping Philadelphia.

It is true this flouriming city has experienced on
former occafions, t) e chaftihng hand of the Lord ;_
many of its inhabitants recoiled the mortality or
the year 1762, when hundreds were iwept away
by a fimilar fever; many will recal to their minds
the horrors of the year 1777. when this place was
the rendezvous of foreign troops, the fans o\ ra-

B

( » )

pine and violence, whofe trade was blood, and
whofe object was the fubjugation of America.

Repeatedly have our ftreets refounded with the
terrifying cry of fire, and particularly the year
1 79 1 was fruitful in inilances of this kind, when
feveral buildings were actually fet on fire out of
wanton wickednefs, and a general terror fpread
over all parts of the city.

But never were there fcenes fo terrible, fo di-
ftrefftng to us, as thofe which our citizens ex-
perienced during the late months of mortality in
the current year 1793.

To give a fhort and true account of thefe
months, and of what has happened therein, will
probably be an agreeable undertaking to our Ger-
man brethren, notwithstanding the mournful
fcenes which I mall have to lay before them. No
doubt but one and another of them will drop a
tear at the perufal of this account; and their tears
will flow the more plentifully, the nearer the fads
may concern the reader in particular ; or the more
tender and fufceptible the feelings of his heart may
be. If a fingle corpfe can fometimes embitter all
our joys, and plunge our heart into the deepeft
morning, what mufl be the effect of feveral
thoufand deceafed, and among thefe fome tenderly
beloved friends. In fadnefs itfelf the heart finds
fometimes a kind of voluptuous fatisfaclion ; and
and if this account mould produce only here and
there fuch an effect, the author would not think
his trouble altogether in vain in giving it into
the hands of the mourner: But this mournful
pleafure, otherwife fa delicious, would be of a fhort

( 3 )

duration only, and very imperfect; it would after
all be a fadnefs of the world, which leads to death,
and real comfort would remain concealed from
the heart ; and for this very reafon this fmall and
imperfect work feeks and aims at a much better
object. The author places a firm reliance on the
grace of God, that perhaps this account, and
<Jh! may God grant it! will caufe not only a
fadnefs but a divine fadnefs in fome of its readers j
it is at lead his defign, that in perilling this im-
perfect (ketch fome one or other may be led, fee-
ling y to exclaim " And I too have carried draw,
yea even pitch and brimftone to this fire of the
anger of the Lord ; it is true it has not devoured
me as yet, but I owe my prefervation to the inter-
ceilion of my Redeemer : and fnall I continue to
provoke this my merciful Saviour any longer by the
commiffion even of one intentional fin ? My God!
this would be the thanks of Devils and a challenge
to the Almighty to bring his judgments nearer
and more dreadful upon me. Up therefore oh
my foul ! thou muft quit thy former ways of fin,
and by an immediate and true converiion of heart
throw thyfelf into the arms of a forbearing
God."

This (hort account, which I am about to com-
municate, mud certainly be imperfect in many re-
flects, on account of the accumulated bufinefs,
which during the time of our extreme diftrefs
would not permit us to pay much attention, to
matters of fmall moment. Our duties, indeed were
fo numerous and prefling, that it was difficult to
give to each their attention which it feemed to de-
mand. I will therefore only juft take a ihort view

( 4 )

of the diftrefled fituation of the whole city,and then
confine myfelf particularly in this relation to what
concerns our German-Lutheran-Congregation ;
but even of this I mall not be able to mention fome
things which at any other time would be looked
upon, as of very great confequence.

As early as in the middle of the month of Au-
gufl we had a funeral in the above mentioned
congregation, which feemed rather fufpicious, but
nobody at that time had the lead idea, that the
deceafed had been affected with a contagious dis-
order.

On the 19th. I was called to a man, whofe
breathing was very Ihort, but who did not fliew in
his countenance the leaft fymptoms of approach-
ing death ; neverthelefs to my very great furprife,
he was a corpfe on the 20th.

Nobody yet fufpected, that this man had died
of a contagious fever. On the 21ft. a man out of
the fame family was buried, out of which eleven
days before the firft-mentioned corpfe had been in-
terred, but even this did not make any particular
impreiiion in thofe parts where thefe funerals hap-
pened. However on the fame evening terrify-
ing accounts were reported from that part of Wa-
ter-ltreet, which lies between Race and Arch-
flreets. Experienced phyficians had been called
to fome fick perfons, and thefe found the fever,
that had broken out there, of the molt dangerous
complexion.

Terror was vifble on every face in that part of
the town. Very few of thole in health were to be

< 5 )

fecn who had not one thing or another before the
no r e or mouth, in order to keep out infectious
air. Many of the inhabitants began to feel a
certain kind of horror at that part of the town;
and if bufinefs forced any one thither, he would
go with a trembling heart and haften away as fall
as poilible.

The fick complained of great pain in the head
and back ; and all their limbs felt as if they were
bruifed ; fome had a ftrong tenfe pulfe, and thefe
experienced an uncommon difficulty in breathing;
they feemed to be in a conftant agony; and fuch
ufually died in three or four, fome even in one
or two days, and generally in the mofl pitiable
conflict of nature.

Others complained likewise of pain in the head
and back; but their pulfe was fo weak that it
could hardly be perceived, fome felt a mofl ex-
cruciating, others, a more tolerable pain in all
their limbs, which they could hardly move ; thefe
lived from five to eight days and then died in a
more eafy and quiet manner than the others. Both
kinds of the difeaied complained of ficknefs at the
flomach, which occafioned them to vomit ; and
they brought up a matter that appeared quite
black or rather like black coagulated blood ; fome
bled very much from the noie ; they had a black
lengthy ftreake on the tongue, and when this laft
appeared they were moftiy the certain victims of
of death.

Some fell into fits of real madnefsand thereby,
as may be eafiiy imagined, greatly augmented the
terror of their relatii

< 6 ) ,

Moft of them turned yellow during their fick-
nefs, which color they kept after their deaths,
though it then became of a deeper hue. But in
others, this color could hardly be perceived,
though thev had fhewn every other fvmptom of
the yellow fever, as it was generaly called.

Many of them had black, red and blue fpots,
others turned quite black in the face ; particularly
round the eye-lids and the nofe. This black and
yellow colour fhewed itfelf in feVeral, whom it
has pleafed the Lord to reftore to health ; and it
remained until nature worked off the poifon by
degrees.

The attack of this ficknefs Was very fudden;
few had any particular fenfations of approaching
difeafe ; many went to bed in the evening to all
appearance in the enjoyment of perfect health,
and at break of day they were often at death's
door. This unmerciful enemy mofl commonly
made his 'firft deadly attack on the body with a fe-
vere chill, which was in fome of a fhorter and in
others of a longer duration and then changed into
heat and pains.

From the above mentioned part of Water-ftreet,
fixteen perfons had been buried within a few davs,
before the upper part of the city knew much of
the danger.

The firft queftion now naturally was " From
whence did this dreadful dif order take its origin V*
Water-ftreet had been always looked upon as one
of the healthieft ftreets in the city, and really

( 7 )

was fo, and it was therefore the more furprifing,
that juft here fuch a deftruclion fhould take place,
The opinions of our citizens were much divided
on this queflion : Some believed,

This dreadful fever to have been generated in
Philadelphia itfelf ;

Others infilled, that it had been imported by
fome veffel from abroad.

Thofe who looked Upon this child of deftruc-
tion as a native of this place, fupported their opi-
nion by the following circumftance :

In the houfe in Water-ftreet, wherein the firft
grown perfon died of the yellow fever, feveral
others died afterwards ; this drawing the atten-
tion of many and the houfe being examined, they
found a great deal of dirt and filth and even reaj
ordure in it.

To this it was added, that this narrow and
clofely inhabited ftreet had been greatly injured,
by a lefs quantity of tar being burnt therein for
fome time pad than formerly ; the veflels being
obliged by an Ordinance of the Corporation, to
make their repairs of this kind higher up or lower
down in the city, whereby the air in thefe parts
had not been purified by the healthy fmell of the
tar, as had been formerly the cafe.

Some afcribed the originating caufe of this fever
to the weather ; and others again to the great
numbers of people, which for fome months paft,

( 8 )

had been too much thronged in the dwelling-
houfes.

I for my part believe this diforder to be the off-
fpring of another climate ; but how it found its
way to us, has as far as I know, never yet been
afcertained ; at a future day we mall undoubtedly
obtain more light upon this queilion, when a cool-
er and more exact investigation can take place, I
will in the mean time relate what I have heard on
the fubjeft.

A vefTel arrived here with fome damaged coffee,
and near this veffel it was faid, the diforder fhew-
ed itfelf rirft and with the greateft violence. The
Magiftracy of the city caufed an inveftigation to
be made with refpeel: to thefe imported goods,
from whence it appeared and was looked upon as
certain that this veffel and its cargo were not the
caufe of this calamity; however, feveral perfons
were taken fick in this neighbourhood and died.

It was further faid, that feveral dead bodies had
been brought afhore from aboard a veffel that lay
outfide of the before mentioned veffel, which
emitted a very offenfive fmell. This was done in
the night time and perfons who had feen it, were
taken fick immediately, and died.

Such were the reports that circulated among the
inhabitants; but as I faid before, nothing can as yet
be decided on the fubjeel with any degree of cer-
tainty ; but there is one thing which feems to cor-
roborate the prefumption, juft before mentioned : it
has been further faid, that the veffel from whence

( 9 )

the dead bodies had been carried afhore, acrofsthe
one laden with coffee was taken a few days after to
Kenfmgton, a fmall town two miles north of Phi-
ladelphia, in order to be repaired ; and that im-
mtdiately afterwards the fhip carpenter, who had
undertaken the work, together with his people,
had been taken nek in Kenfmgton, and that he
and feveral of the hands had died. (I myfelf con-
dueled to his grave in laid Kenfmgton, as early as
the 25th of Auguit a young man of twenty years
ef age, a fhip carpenter, who had died of this fe-
ver.) This diibrder foon afterwards began to
fpread among others. Campington had likewife
its fhare of this calamity. We are more and more
confirmed in our opinion, that it was this veffel,
which brought the infection to us, when we con-
fider that that part of the neighbourhood called
the Neck, between Schuylkill and Delaware re-
mained entirely clear of this fcourge ; a part which
is counted at other times the mod um.vholefome
about this city ; a part alfo which is as near to the
fouthern extremity of the city, as Kenfmgton to the
northern : a part where the houfes are not much
further afunder than in the other place, and whofe
inhabitants go daily through the whole city with
milk and vegetables. It is true fome have died
there, but they amount to no more than three or
four at the mod, and thefe were perfons who had
either followed their daily labour in an infected
part of the city, or who had nurfed their relations
and acquaintances in town, laid them out when.
dead, and then carried the ficknefs home with
them and died., Several people now ded to the
Neck in a feafon of the year, when at other times
they would have been afraid of remaining there

C

( ,io )

only an hour after funfet, becaufe it was deemed
to be very dangerous to people, not accultomed to
the air and vapours of that place, yet, Lo ! now
they were fafe in this unhealthful place ; not one
of them, to my knowledge, got fick. But few
Would fly to Kenfington, becaufe that part
was infected as well as the city itfelf.

In laying thus before the reader my opinion
about the origin of the diforder, I mould be en-
tirely mifunderftood, if any fhould fuppofe, that I
thereby meant to exclude the agency of God in
exercifmg his holy judgments upon us ; no, I re-
peat again, what I have faid already in the be-
ginning, I look upon the whole as a deferved
punifhment of a j'uft, as well as merciful God.

It remains an eternal truth, of which I aril fully
convinced, when we anfwer the queftion of Amos.
III. 6. ** There is no evil in the city, but what the
Lord hath done." It is the Lord who makes the
feftilence cleave unto thee. It is the Lord who fmU
feth mankind with ulcers and fevers, and heat, and
blafling, and drought, and infeclion, and jaundice,
Deut. XXVIII, 21.22. The Lord fends peflilence
among the tranfgreffors of his law, Jerem. XXIV. io.
It is according to Ifaiah XXIV. i. The Lord of
whom it faid " Behold he maketh the earth empty
and makctb it wafle." And v. 3. The land jhallbe
utterly emptied and utterly fpoiled : for the Lord hath
j'poken this word.

Sword, famine and peflilence are the fervants
of the Lord, whom he fends or retains at his
pleaiure. It would not have cofl a miracle to have

( «« )

turned afide the peftilential fever from Philadel-
phia ; it wanted only the intervention of a trifling;
c'rcumilance, and the life of thousands would
have been preferved ; but this circumftance was
not allowed to intervene at this time ; It was
God's will to vifit the city ; and if we afk further,
" Why was it God's will ?" The word of truth
itfelf will give us the anfwer ; it is faid in the
aforementioned 24th chap, of Ifaiah, 5. & 6.. The
earth is defiled under the inhabitants thereof ',: be-,
caufe they have tranfgreffed the laws, and changed
the ordinances and broken the everlajling covenant.
Therefore hath the curfe devoured the earth, and
they that dwell therein are defolate ; therefore the in-
habitants of the earth are burned, and few men
left, v. 7. All the merry hearted Jigh, v. 8. The
mirth of tabrets ceafeth, the noife of them that re-
joice endeth, the joy of the harp ceafeth, v. 10.
Every houfe in the city is fhut up, that no man may
come in. And v. ij. Therefore fear and the pit are
upon thee.

It would be foreign to my intention to anfwer
the queflion. " Why has God vifited this city in
particular ? Are the inhabitants thereof diftin-
guilhed above all finners, by a long lift of fins,
wherein the greater! part of the inhabitants of the
earth have finned equally with us ?" *

* It is not neceffary to fuppofe greater criminality in
one place, than another, in order, to vindicate the
equity of the divine procedure in punijhing any guilty
part of God's dominion. It is fufficient that fuch

( 12 )

But I hope I fhall be permitted to mention a
few matters, which, long fince have been very
alarming to every ferious thinking man in this city,
and whereby Philadelphia has diftinguifhed itfelf
before all other places in Penniylvania. Things
which even in a natural way threatened the tem-
poral ruin of the city.

Philadelphia far exceeded moll of the cities of
North-America, in luxury and diflipation among
all claiTes of people.

It was Philadelphia, that did not reft, until the
performing of theatrical exhibitions was autho-
rised by law. It was Philadelphia that refined fo
much on this fpecies of vanity, as to erecl: one of
the krgeft houfes upon the continent for theatri-
cal exhibitions and engaged a£tors at a prodi-
gious expence ; as if one houfe, that exifted be-
fore were not fufficient to ruin our young people,,
too much neglecled already. It was Philadelphia
that imported from luxurious Europe, the number
of 70 or 80 actors and retainers to the flag©, who
actually arrived here exaclly at the time, when the
fever raged with the utmo.fl violence. It was Phi-
ladelphia, that contained thofe parents who had
given willingly 300 dollars to obtain a perpetual
Tight of free accefs with wife and children to the
plays, in order to plunge themfelves and their re-
latives the quicker into ail kind of diffipation, and

part deferves the flroke : but perhaps he defigns to.

referee thofe places that are more corrupt for heavier

I more deflating judgments at a proper feafoiu

( i3 )

to obliterate in their hearts all tafte for what is
ferious and ufeful, I will not fay godly and hea-
venly.

Many a one looked upon 300 dollars as a trifle
to gratify vanity and levity, who would have been
afraid of being ruined, were he to lay out fo many
fhillings for widows and orphans.

This was the very autumn in which the new
houfe was to be opened, which numbers waited for
with joyful expectation ; but this was likewife the
very autumn, when thefe newly arrived fons of
levity found this poor city in the deepeil mourn-
ing, and fled with horror from the long wifhed
for place to New-York and other places. And
may they never tread on Philadelphia ground
again in that character 1 May all the inhabitants of
this city of forrow, particularly thofe who re-
mained here in thofe days of death and terror join,
and with united endeavours labour for that pur-
pofe, that the fathers of our country may repeal
that certainly injurious acl, which has rendered
this folly lawful among us,

For my part it was horrid to hear that notwith-
standing the great calamity which we have recently
experienced,' I fay, that notwithstanding this, it
has been faid, I am told, that in the eourfe of this
winter the new play-houfe was yet to be opened; yea,
that, in order to deceive the public or rather to
deceive Omnifcience itfelf, the proceeds of the

C *4 )

firft night were Intended for the benefit of the
widows and orphans.*

Away with thefe horrid benefits and the money
of fin ! Keep your fmful wages, for this is all you
have to expecl for your pains here and in eternity ;
God knows how to gladden the heart of the widow
and orphan in a better manner ; he does not want
for this purpofe your wages of vanity ; leave thefe to
them for whom they were intended ; our widows
and orphans fland in no need thereof, for the
Lord himfelf is their protector and father ; and
he will find means, without this money earned in
levity, that the forfaken mail not fuffer want.

It was Philadelphia, that during the whole of
lad fummer was lo eager to fee the rope-dancing
and other mews exhibited in the city, that one
hardly knew how to pafs along, for the immenfe
number of people, who were either going to thefe
diverfons or returning therefrom. Many a one
carried thither, that money which he wanted ex-
ceedingly for the fupport of his family. Mofl
of them diffracted their hearts, there in fuch a
manner, that on the following Sunday they ei-

* This is a very fuperficial pretext. If they who
attend upon fuch occafwns intended a charity to the
poor, why would they not rather felccl the objects
the?rfelves, than make life of fuch almoners as play-
ers ? If it were pojjible that players poffejfed fe nihi-
lity in their proper character ; why not diftribute
their alms from the remnant of their dijjipations and
their ufual profits ', in/lead of calling upon the world,
to admire their charity by public advertifements /

( >5 )

ther did not go to church at all, or elfe could
have no benefit from the explanation of the word
of God, every part of their minds being fo filled
whh thofe follies, that it was impoffible, that any
thing ferious could find room therein.

After fuch a merry, fmful fummer, by the juft
judgment of God, a mod mournful autumn fol-
lowed, which commenced when the much efteem-
ed and celebrated Circus was hardly clofed.

How ftriking mud this circumftancebe to every
contemplating mind, that this very circus was the
place, whither the very firfl nek were brought, in
a moft deplorable fituation, who on account of
poverty, and want of friends, could find ihelter
no where elfe ! This place, which a few weeks be-
fore refounded with the noify acclamations and
clappings of levity, was now filled with the la-
mentations and groans of the dying, and re-
founded with the wringing of hands by thofe for-
faken wretches, that were lent thither, three where-
of died in extreme mifery, and where no one
recovered.

Philadelphia was the place that feemed to drive
to exceed all other places in the breaking of the
fabbath. It may be laid with propriety, that our
fundays and holy-days were our moft fmful days.
Immediately at break of day, the rattling of the
carriages began through allthe ftreets. They hurried
into the country with their families as early as pof-
fible, in order by no means to approach the Deity
in public worfhip, along with other citizens and
fincere chriflians.

( I* )

tiere the whole day was fpent in extravagance
and difiipation ; v Father, Mother, and Children
formed together with the fervants, a whole groupe
to proclaim to the Moll High, We care not for
thy commandment about keeping holy the day of the
Lord. When evening came on they returned, and
gave no fmall interruption to -thofe before whole
places of worlhip they rattled along.

But, oh ! my God ! how fuddenly, how mourn-
fullv, was this fcene altered! the rattling buftte of
carriages, which ufed to carry the defpiief s of the
inflitutions of religion far away from the worlhip
of Jems, particularly on Sundays, to vanity and
the joys of the. world; was now changed into the
flow melancholy movement, from morning till
night, of thofe carriages, which certainly have
conveyed many of thofe Sabbath-breakers, to their
filent graves ; whilft their fouls have been obliged
to appear before the tribunal of that God who
himfelf had given the ftriclelt command, " Re-
member the Sabbath-day to fanclify it ;" and who
has virtually renewed the fame by his apoltles in
the New Teltament, when he caufes them to re-
mind us Not to forfake the affembling of ourfehes
together — Let the word of Chriji divell'in you richly.

A great many who had not the means to ride
out into the country on the Lord's day frequented
the taverns and beer-houfes in the city and vicini-
ty, and there fpent their time in the moll frivolous
difcourfe, backbiting their neighbours, or even
coarfely ridiculing the word of God itfelfj or they
gamed, drank to excefs, and frequently quarrelled
and fought.

( 17 )

During thefe lafl months many of thefe tipplers
and fabbath-breakers, became delirious; their
levity was changed into the terrors of death, and
their mockery into whining and lamentations.
Juft God ! what fcenes of this kind have we feen !
fcenes which for a long time will convey images
of horror to the neighbourhoods which faw them 1
My pen is not able to give a defcription of that
agony, which was but too vifible in the lafl mo-
ments of fuch perfons.

If I had never before been convinced, of the
advantages, which the chriftian has over the infi-
del ; the inftances which I have feen of the dying
condition of both, would have been more than
fufficient, to produce fuch a conviction in my
mind.

Oh ! Philadelphia ! Philadelphia ! how often
would thy Jefus have gathered thy children to-
gether, even as a hen gathereth her chickens
under her wings, and thou wouldeft not! Sun-
days were in particular the facred days on which
thy Saviour carried on his work of love in thee ;
on thofe days he frequently called thee powerfully
towards him ; but it is deplorable to fay, hardly
one third, yea ! hardly one fourth of all thy nu-
merous inhabitants, would vouchfafe to hear the
call of the Lord, much lefs fuffer themfelves to be
gathered under his wings. Under thefe circum-
stances was it then to be wondered at, that thou
was laid wafle.

Philadelphia was the unfortunate place, where
curfing, fwearing and perjury had fixed their refi-

T)

' ( i8 )

dence ; one needed only to walk the flreets on Sa-
turday evenings and Sundays in particular to hear
the mod horrid imprecations from men, and
fometimes from women and youths , nay even
from children.

Philadelphia was the place where a certain clafs
of people, had afibciated themfelves for the avow-
ed purpofe of blafpheming our bleffed Saviour. It
was gone even fo far about two years ago, that a
certain preacher had hired a room, wherein he fet
before his hearers, what he called fermons, or
rather poifon of deduction, from which many
w r ere to imbibe an averfion againit the doctrine of
Jefus Chrift. It was even laid, that money had
been collected for the purpofe of building a pro-
per meeting-houfe, for this new teacher, who de-
nied the God-head of Chrift.

In order to give a better idea of the frivolity of
thefe people. I will relate but one inilance, which
will lhew at once, how deeply fome of the inha-
bitants of this city were fV.len : On a certain
morning when this frivolous meeting had broken
up to a perfon, pairing by and afking ; What
all thefe people had been doing in the dancing-
fchool on a Sunday ? it was anfwered, " We have
juji now heard a Jermon, wherein it has been proved
to us, that your fuppofed God was nothing but a
bajiard of Maria.

I here give the (lory as it was related to me, the
whole excited in me an unfpeakable horror, and
mufl be a fufEcient proof to any of my readers,
that fuch a place, if it mould not go quite to de-

( 19 )

flrudtion, wanted a vifiation like that which it has
experienced.

Were I to clofe here the enumeration of the
particular fins of our city, it might be objected to
me with juftice, that I had omitted mentioning a
fubject, on which I was bound to fpeak, particu-
larly at this time. The tears of the widow and the
fighs of the orphan have had always, alas ! too
much reafon to rife againit people who have
wronged them out of their property ; and as there
have been numbers of fuch interefled harpies in
our city, I am well convinced, that the judg-
ment we have lately been afflicled with, was the
completion of the threats, which the word of
God has denounced againft fuch a city and fuch a
country. The great Luther ufed to fay, " I would
rather fee the Turkifh Emperor with his. whole army
march againft mt, than have a fingle Jigh of a wi-
dow appear againft me in God's judgment"

Widows and orphans are under the particular
protection of the Almighty, and whoever wrongs
them, or impofes upon, or cheats them, has to do
with the Almighty power itfelf, and often by fuch
crying fins draws the njoft dreadful judgments cf
the Moft High on a whole country and city.

Attend to this, ye guardians ! be careful ! for
God's fake and for your foul's fake be exact
to the lead tjifle, with refpect to every thing y:u
have in your hands, and for which you are to ac-
count with widows and orphans. It is you, who may
eafily caufe a recurrence of a more dreadful vifit-
ation ; as there are now fo many more widows and
orphans, in this city than ever before. For God's

( 2° )

fake do not augment by your unkindnefs, by your
impofition and felfifhnefs, their diflrefs which is
fo great already ; and know, that the Lord will
prove himfelf efpecially in this refpecl:, a fevere
judge and avenger, not only on yourfelves but
particularly on your own pofterity.

It would be eafy to recite numerous inftances of
finners, who, having defrauded the widow and
the orphan experienced in a vifible manner the
avenging hand of the Almighty upon themfelves
or upon their defcendants and it would not be
very difficult to find out perfons, who, during thefe
laft months, gave up their terrified fouls, with
a reproaching confcience, and with the torment-
ing thought, " / too have defrauded the widow and
the orphan."

It were to be wifhed, that no other fins pre-
vailed in Philadelphia, than thofe above fpecified ;
but unfortunately this city, in common with all
other large cities, was remarkable for drunken-
nefs, lewdnefs, fraud, pride, avarice, uncharita-
blenefs, quarrelling. — and when? would the cata-
logue end? all thefe and far more had attained
the higheit fummit among us.

Numbers came indeed to hear the word of God,
but the majority of thofe denied its efficacy. Repen-
ance has been preached in the ufual way, to our
city thefe many years ; but when this had no ef-
fect, God took upon himfelf this bufmefs in an
unufual but dreadful manner. Hundreds, yea
thoufands of corpfes were made to call to every one
of us : " Turn ye; turn ye ! — And oh ! how^would

( 21 )

all good men, how would even the crucified Savi-
our rejoice, if this call of God, had produced a
general echo among the inhabitants of Philadel-
phia. " Oh ! my God ! Turn thou me j turn thou

me!"

[What kind of people were particularly fwept
away by the Yellow-fever ?3

Having made mention before of dying youths,
and girls, I will only add to this fhort account of
this deadly fever that generally people, between
fourteen and forty years of age were fwept away
by it. But few children or old people were at-
tacked by it ; among thofe who appeared to be the
healthieft and ftrongeft the inftances of recovery-
were feweft. Men who feemed to have made a co-
venant with death, and an agreement with the
grave for a number of years to come ; whofe ex-
terior appearance feemed to warrant the hopes of
a healthy and advanced age, were laid in the duft
in a few days by this fever.

Further, people who made their belly their
God, thofe in particular who had given them-
felves to drunkennefs, or in other refpecls to a
loofe and abandoned way of living, when attack-
ed by this diforder, were raoft commonly the fure
victims of death. Several phyficians, to whom
the way in which fuch people live was known,
when called upon to attend them, were very loath
to go, or would not go at all, becaufe they ex-
pected beforehand, that their remedies would have
no effect for the recovery of the fick.

( 22 )

The diforder likewife raged with much more vi-
olence among the men, than upon perfons of the
other fex.

Many a widow bewails now a hufband, who to
all appearance, would have been the fupport of an
increafing family, for many years to come. How
many uneducated children are now fatherlefs or-
phans ; in how many houfes do we hear the cry :
My fon — Alas! he is no more — My beloved
daughter — Ah ! my God, they are, thefe dear
children are in the dull of the grave! — And woe to
the father, woe to that carelefs mother, in whofe
bofom the excruciating thought arifes : " The poor
creatures died, but they died comfortlefs perhaps
through my fault : I never fought after Jefus, and
therefore never could earnejlly awaken the darlings of
my heart, to feek their Saviour ; MyJJod, wliat is
become of them, whither are they gone, and what is
to become of myfelf and thofe of the children who
remain"

My foul fhudders at this thought ; and probably
very few fathers and mothers can read this alto-
gether without feeling. And is not this the place
where fomething in particular, ought to be faid to
parents ? certainly it is : and nobody can take it
amifs to find the following reflections in this fmall
pamphlet.

Our children were intrufted to us for the pur-
pofe of educating them in the knowledge and fear
of the Lord ; early or late he will demand this
trull at our hands. When death diiblves the tie
between us and them ; and efpecially in the day
of judgment, we fhall have to anfwer for the man-

( *3 )

ner in which we have executed our duty, and it
will be folemnly decided, whether in this weighty
concern, we have paid due obedience, with all up-
rightnefs, to his commands or not. — Every parent
need only read the fmgle hiflory of the unfortun-
ately Eli, which is found in I. Sam. II. 23. 25. 30.
34. and IV. it. 18 ; and if he read it really with
attention, I am very fure he will make the follow-
ing obfervations : » ..

Eli negle&ed the education of his children, and
on account of this neglecl, a dreadful judgment
came upon him, and in this judgment were in-
volved, not only the fons of this unfortunate fa-
ther, but his whole pofterity, yea, a whole nation.

Eli was far from being that indifferent much
lefs that quite wicked father, of whom there are,
alas ! fo many among our prefent fathers and mo-
thers, and neverthelefs he fuffered that dreadful
judgment which made the ears of thoufands ring!
But certainly God is not unjufl nor partial ; he
never fufFers one to go unpunifhed, when he vifits
others fo feverely ; and therefore certainly a more
dreadful judgment mud await thofe parents, who
who have been lefs attentive to the welfare of their
children than Eli was ; or who perhaps have been
themfelves the feducers of thefe comparatively in-
nocent victims to temporal and eternal defiruc-
tion.

I might extend thefe obfervations to a very
great length ; I could make here a juft complaint,
that there are too many parents found in this city,
from whom, nothing but the molt dreadful curfes

( u )

and many other abominable things are heard or
feen by their children ; fo that it muft be really a
miracle, if thefe poor creatures do not go down
to everlafting deftruction.

I would propofe here the following queftions,
and leave them to every father and mother who
reads them, to anfwer them faithfully to their own
confciences. Do you pray with your children,
and do you pray heartily and earneftly for them ?
How is it about family worfhip ? Do you keep
morning and evening prayers ? Does the word of
Chrift dwell richly among you ? Do you read the
Holy Scriptures with your family ? Do you ad-
monifh them to ferve God in fpirit and in truth ?
Are you acquainted with the figns of a true Con-
version of heart, and do you inftru£t your family
therein ? How is it at your table ? Do you pray
before you eat ? Do you take your victuals with
thankfgiving, or does not this complaint lie againft
you? " The people fat dawn to eat and to drink
and rofe up to play." How do you make your
children keep the Lord's-day ?

Here I will ceafe ; Make good ufe of the above
queftions dear readers, and let ferious reflection at
a filent hour originate a greater number of fuch
necenary queftions in your own hearts.

One word more to parents, who have loft fons
or daughters during the late diforder, whofe fpiri-
tual ftate at the time of their diceafe was rather
equivocal, and where there is no full conviction
of a happy meeting again.

( 25 )

All the advice that can be given to you, in your
prefent mournful fituation, is contained in thefe
few words ; Return unto the Lord ! acknowledge
with contrition that you have neglected your poor
children— confider the dreadful indifference for
the religion of Chrift, which has prevailed in
your family ; your neglect of prayer — but alas 1
where mall one begin and where end the catalogue
of all that has been deficient in this refpect in
moft families! remember, at the fame time, the
dying groans — the laft agonies of the departing
fpirit — the lonely melancholy funeral of your de-
ceased fon or daughter ; to thefe reflections add the
queftion, have not I perhaps neglected my child ?
Was not I perhaps the caufe that it died fo com^
fortlefs, as was to all appearance the cafe ? and
if this consideration will not induce you, to look
with horror on your dangerous condition, and to
long for being converted to Jefus Chrift — then no-
thing — nothing can move you ; you are hardened,
hardened beyond conception — and the deepeft
abyfs of hell is juilly your due.

£The diforder was contagious.]]

The moft dreadful circumftance in this terrible
difeafe was that few, very few^ who approached
any perfon afflicted with it, could efcape the in-
fection ; and that all thofe, who were infected,
could generally trace the place where they had
taken the feeds of the difeafe.

In fome, this deadly poifon mewed its effects
immediately ; in others, by flower degrees. I have
known inftances, ofperfons, to appearance hearty

v

( 26 )

and ftrong attending the fick, who within a few
days were buried ; when fometimes the fiek per-
fons, whom they attended, began to recover and
were actually reftored.

Frequently a hufband infected his wife, a brother
the filter, parents their children, and children their
parents ; and the heart-piercing wounds which
fuch fcenes mud have given, is much more eafily
felt, than defcribed.

When the idea was once deeply impreffed on
the mind that approching the fick might be dan-,
gerous and even fatal, it had in one refpect a Very
advantageous, but in another a very melancholy
effect. The confequence in the firft cafe was, that
people were more cautious, and did not. crowd the
fick-rooms with unneceffary vifits, whereby the
fpreading of the diforder was greatly prevented ;
hundreds, yea, thoufands more would have been
fwept away, if it had not been that this apprehen-
fion had taken poiieffion of the minds of the in-
habitants, and in this refpect it was a fortunate
circumftance for the city. But this very circum-
ftance was the caufe, as may eafily be imagined,
of increafing the terror in feveral inflances, and
became injurious in the higheft degree ; a perfon
hardly complained, but he was deferted by every
body ; the fick were left frequently in a dreary fo-
litude in a hpufe intirely alone ; and numbers un-
doubtedly have perifhed through fuch defertion,
and have been hurried into eternity, when their re-
covery was not only poffible, but perhaps might
have been eafily accomplifhed. There are numer-
ous inltances of parents fhunning their children

( V )

and hufoands their wives, like death itfelf, and
being prevented as it were by a fecret power from
approaching the fick, otherwife fo dearly beloved.
But, for the comfort and prefervation of many of
the fick, there were likewife thofe, whom the
Lord had infpired with fortitude, in fuch a man-
ner that they went without fear to the forfaken,
and by their attention faved their lives. I have
been an eye witnefs of numerous inflances of this
kind ; I have feen perfons, who without any re-
gard to reward or relationfhip expofed their lives to
the greatefl danger, out of mere chriftian charity ;
in attending the fick, night after night, and fre-
quently performing offices of the molt undefirable
kind about them. And I am very forry to add,
that not a fmall number of thefe well meaning
people, fell the victims of their zeal. But again
my heart rejoices, when I can count likewife a
great number, who have been preferved through
all thefe dangers and at prefent enjoy a perfect
ftate of health.

It was a great comfort to my deeply afflicted
mind, to find fuch chriftian minded perfons at the
death bed of their acquaintances ; to fee their cou-
rage, their careful attention, their unremitted af-
fiduity, and their difmterefted conduct, and it
ftrengthened this thought in me : The Lord in the
midjl of his wrath is yet among us, and has his work
of mercy in our congregation.

This dreadful infection was fo general, that
the mod of the phyficians with all their fkill and
precaution, were attacked with it, and not a few
of them brought to the grave, which greatly

( 28 )

heightened the diftrefs. It was in the moft dread-
fnl ftage of the ficknefs, that fome of the moil
famous among them died, others from terror had
fled out of the city, and others again were dan-
geroufly ill ; and as thofe who remained were not
able to attend one half of the fick, to whom they
were called, certainly a great number remained
without affiflance.

How much the diftrefs was increafed by this
circumftance no body can imagine, who has not
witnefled it. At the firil attack of this diforder
the thought would fall mountain-like on every
one's mind.^ — I muft inevitably die. If then no*
body could be found to give fome relief by pro-
per remedies, and thereby raife a fpark of hope of
recovery in the drooping mind, the fear of death
overpowered many and actually killed them. The
relations of the fick, full of terror, wandered
about the houfe, or flood at a diftance from the
unhappy victim ; fome perhaps would approach
his bed, but with vifible reluctance, in order to
hand him fome refrefhment, or to adminifter fome
remedies of their own prefcription.

And I do not know, where this diftrefs would
have ended, if fome perfons had not interfered,
who at other times did not properly make it their
buhnefs to attend the fick. I mention this circum-
ftance fo much the more, as it was precifely fuch
a man, who not only recovered a number of high-
ly efteemed members of our congregation, but
likewife by the ufe of his remedies under the bleil-
ing of God, reftored a colleague to me, and a
Paftor to the congregation.

( *9 )
[Interment of the dead.]

The dread of this diforder foon became fo great,
that it was impoffible to find carriers of the dead,
as numbers of thofe who had carried at firft fuch
as had died with this diforder, were infected
thereby and fell fick ; it therefore became neceffary
to make ufe of carriages,

The number of attendants at a funeral was
greatly diminilhed, every body retired at the ap-
proach of a herfe ; windows and doors were Unit
as they pafled. Frequently nobody but the driver
of the herfe or chair fhafts and the inviter accom-
panied a coffin, which hundreds would have fol-
lowed at other times. Here one man juftly de-
fences to be mentioned in particular ; this is our
inviter ; he not only took care of funerals as for-
merly, but in the moft dangerous inftances always
anifted with his own hands to put the corpfes into
the coffins :* by his intrepidity the driver of the
herfe was encouraged to do the fame ; and I do
not know, how a number of corpfes of our con-
gregation would have been conveyed to the
grave, if God had not endowed thefe men with
fuch courage.

The day frequently would not fufEce to bury all

* The Sexton and Clerk of the id Englifh Prefby-
terian church were remarkably ufeful in the fame
way, and have been mercifully preferred. Thefirfl
never had the diforder at all and the fecorJ not till
its prevalence was greatly abated.

( 3° )

the dead, becaufe no afliftance was to be had in
digging graves, and it was impoflible for our ufu-
al grave diggers, to make from twenty to twenty-
fix graves in a day ; it became in feveral inftances
therefore neceffary to take the night to it. Me-
lancholy for all and dreadful for many, as thefe
fcenes were in the ftreets of the city, yet, (to
the praife of my gracious Redeemer I record
it) this nightly filence amongfl the tombs, when I
was waiting for funerals, and wandering, quite
alone, among the newly raifed hills, was fome-
times fweetly folemn.

How comfortable to me in this fituation, O
thou my once buried Saviour ! the remembrance of
thy grave ; How did the thought force itfelf upon
me, that my Jefus alfo wandered among ft the tombs ;
and whom did he feek there ? the unfortunate poffeff-
ed, and to the poffeffed he there gave the mojl fub-
ftantial relief ; lo ! here wander eth a fpiritually
poffeffed ; but Jefus too is here and brings me like-
wife relief from my diflrefs whilft among the tombs !
Such thoughts as thefe, Oh ! how reviving were
they to my foul ! how many filent tears have they
forced from mine eyes ! Ye, who were prefent at
fuch nightly funerals, every hour of your life re-
member the grave.

Our grave diggers were not exempted from this
diforder ; both were laid up with it and one of
them died. A young man who had faithfully af-
fifted the latter, was alfo feized, and in the very
prime of life, fell a prey to death. Another af-
iiftant was at death's door, but is now recovered.

( 3* )

Under fuch circumftances it cannot be fur-
prifing, that thoufands of the inhabitant's fled
away. Nearly one third left the city ; fome of
thefe carried the infe&ion along with them ; fick-
ened in the country, and were brought back to us
dead.

The ftreets of the city looked quite empty ;
molt of the (tores and a great many houfes were
fliut up ; many of thofe, who remained in the city
kept themfelves pent up in the back part of their
houfes, and even cut off all communication with
the neighbourhood. Night appeared to me, at
lead fometimes, moft melancholy. Such a deep
filence reigned in the ftreets between nine and ten
o'clock at night, as at other times was fcarcely to
be found at twelve or one in the morning. I per-
fectly recollefl: feveral vifits of the fick, which I
had to make, intirely alone, at that time of the
night and that at a confiderable diftance from my
dwelling. Houfes fliut up to the right and left,
deferted by their inhabitants, or containing per-
fons ftruggling in death at that very time, or
whofe former inhabitants were all dead already,
formed a part of the melancholy fcene! In two
or three fquares hardly a living foul was to be met
with, where twenty or thirty people would elfe be
palling and repaffing at that time of night ; at one
houfe and another the remembrance of the lamen-
tations and the dreadful pangs of death, which
the rooms thereof had witneffed a few days, ago,

an d t he but I'll break off here, I will not

retrace this image, I mould only renew the pain,
which often has pierced my very foul.

Advantageous as the flight of our fellow-citi-

( 3* )

sens was, in many refpects, yet their taking leave
was diftreffing. I have met feveral that were hur-
rying away ; in tears they would take my hand,
and with fobs fome would cry, Oh God! grant that
ive may fee one another alive again. Tears would
flart into my eyes ; I hurried away and felt, what
at fuch fcenes one mull naturally feel.

The infection fpreading in a few weeks not only
through the whole city, but likewife filling the fub-
urbs with terror, our frightened inhabitants purfued
their flight into more diftant parts. The inhabi-
tants of Philadelphia will certainly never forget
the inftances of humanity and hofpitality they ex-
perienced in different places, and their hearts will
certainly never ceafe to glow with the warmed
wifhes for the happinefs of thefe generons friends
of mankind. Whereas the unfriendly conducl,
fometimes even inhuman brutality, of fome will
remain a ftain upon humanity.

Kenfmgton, as has been mentioned above, ex-
perienced the violence of the diforder at its very
commencement, and loft a great many of its in-
habitants ; Campington, between Kenlington and
the city, had likewife a great number of dead ;
the Neck, as it is called, fared beft of all, and
hither a number of families fled for refuge. In
the city itfelf, one ftreet fuffered certainly more
than another, but few, I believe, remained quite
free.

Narrow ftreets were the mod dangerous, and
here the greateft number were fvvept away. In
Apple-tree alley alone (a ftreet only one fquare

( 33 )

long, and not all along inhabited as it contained
a number of (tables) near forty perfons died,
whereas Market-ftreet did not loofe near as many
in eight or nine fquares.

The mere fight of the great number of deaths,
which is annexed to this book, will excite with-
out doubt different emotions in the minds of dis-
tant readers, and they will certainly wifti to read
what imprefiions thefe mournful months have
made upon the minds of the inhabitants of the
city itfelf. But it would require a much abler
hand to paint the whole extent of thefe fenti-
ments.

[Sufferings of the Sick.]

I want words to exprefs the incredible fuffer-
ings of fome of the fick ; the vifible anxiety,
the violent druggies, the labour of nature, the
mod dreadful concuffions of the whole frame,
which manifested themfelves in many of the dying.
Some, it is true, funk tranquil into the arms of
death, for it was the nature of this diforder, to
affume different fhapes ; but to fpeak in the language
of fcripture and in that fenfe in which the following
expreffions ought perhaps to be taken, I muft fay —
The far greater partdi/d the deal h. Ail the powers
of death feemed to adail them, and they moftly
experienced a dreadful end.

[Melancholy fituation of the Healthy.]

Thofe who were (till well among us, generally
mewed how much the fear of death opprelfed' their

F

( 34 )

terrified minds. When death had robbed them of
fome relation or acquaintance ; there was fuch a
mixture of melancholy, of pain, of fadnefs, and
alfo of an anxious fear of the diforder, that it
was impomble to diftinguifh the one from the
other ; in fome, thefe emotions would break out in
loud lamentations, yea, fhrieks, which were heard
in our grave-yards by day and by night at thofe
funerals, where fear would permit fome of the
nearefl relations or acquaintances to be preient.

Many of the dearefl. relations were hurried out
of the houfe as quick as poffible, perhaps even
before they were cold ; coffins and graves were
befpoken beforehand for fome ; every one wanted
to be the firfl to have his dead buried out of his
fight ; for immediately after the death of a fick
perfon, the body would turn to putrefaction, and
would increafe the cadaverous fmell confiderably,
which had been fpread through the houfe and
neighbourhood during; the ficknefs. The whole
neighbourhood generally infilled very earneftly
upon it, that the danger mould be removed as
quick as poilible. Very few had the courage to
approach a houfe where any lay dead, much lefs
to enter it.

Having fpoken of the houfes wherein people di-
ed, and likewife of the fick, and defcribed the
feelings of thofe who, (till in health, were prefent
at thefe fcenes, it will undoubtedly not be difa-
greeable, nor may it perhaps be without a bleffed
effect, if I add fomething more on this fubject.

[State of mind of the Sick.]

I have been called to feveral fick perfons, who
till that time, had looked upon the religion of Je-

( is )

fus as a matter of the utmoft indifference, but to
whom that truth now gave the greateft comfort,
which teaches that Jefus of Nazareth can and
will fave finners ; real fmners — finners, who have
nothing to bring him but fin, becaufe he is the
Lamb of God, which bore the fins of the world.
Oh ! how often have I feen tears of the bittereft
grief, roll down the cheeks of the mod hardened
finners at this truth. Not deeming this a proper
time further to diftrefs the poor terrified creatures
by the threats of judgment, when they were di-
ftreffed already, beyond their power to bear ; this
was therefore the truth which in the execution of
this mournful duty, I always made ufe of to the
fick and dying ; Jefus may yet fave thee /inner too ;
give him what is his ; what he has not ; what he
has pur chafed- for thee ; fur chafed with his blood ;
give him all thy fins ; Oh how full of love thy Jefus
is ! lo ! he is willing to take thy fins from thee ; —
how was it poffible that thou couldjl offend the friend
of thy foul for fo long a time ? But take alfo what is
tby own ; the jujlice of Chrifl in his blood ; remi/fwn
oj fins and the peace of God ; take eternal life fro*,
the hand of crucified love, .without reward, without
merit, &c.

As I have faid before, tears of diftrefs flowed
from the dying eyes of fome who had been very
unconcerned finners. Many of thofe who were
fpedators both fuch as were in health, and fuch
as were difeafed, were fometimes moved in the
higheft degree; aud I — the moll unworthy of
the fervants of the Lord, who had been fo unpro-
fitable, fo little ufeful, during the whole time of
my office, I may cherifh the unmerited hope, that

( $6 )

the Lord graciouily made ufe of me, to lead ma-
ny a foul to falvation, who elfe would have (trayed
and been loir. — and oh ! my God what happinefs !
to be inilrumenral in faving a foul ! not for a
wo-'Id, would i barter the perfonal advantage
which I have derived iron the mortality in Phila-
ia. Fbrget not oh my fori ! what the Lord
has conferred upon thee, unworthy as thou art !

[Xoniequences with fome refpe&ing the Sacra-
ment. 3

Several, who had long thought but very little
about the ufe of the Lord's fupper, now fiiewed an
ardent defire to partake of it. Young people,
advanced towards maturity, who had been neg-
lected by their parents, requefled with the great-
eft eagernefs to be baptized, confirmed, and to be
itted to the Lord's table: in confequence
eof, two young men were actually baptized
after a fnort initruclion ; one of them recovered,
but the other died the very next day. Not lono-
;, a boy of thirteen, and one of nine years of
-, together with a girl of eleven years, were
zed in the fame family, wherein the above-
mentioned youth died, and that in prefence of
another brother who was then dying.

[Inflances of fuch as died happy.]

I hope I mall be permitted to add, that in thofe
days of mourning, I have found fome real, fmcere
Chriftians among ourfo much defamed Lutheran?.
I will felecl a few inflances, which have diffufed
through my ib-al a moil lively joy.

( 37 )

Nearly at the beginning of the diforder, I was
called to a young man dying ; he was very low ;
but my vifit leemed to give him a great deal of
pleafure ; he anfwered the o^aeftions refpecling the
ltate of his mind with the greateft alacrity, and
with the full conviction, that he knew in whom
he believed. So fweet a fmile difTufed itlelf over
the already livid features of his face, as often as
the merits of his crucified Lord were mentioned,
that it might have been taken, rather, for the
fmile o£ an angel, than that of a fmful mortal —
he found an unfailing life in the death of Jefus.

Two verv valuable and virtuous married wo-
men, who died almoft at the fame time, were
bleffed in a fimilar manner. Oh what humble,
yet ardent, expreflions of the heart, flowed from
their dying lips ! They lay there as Tinners at the
footflool of mercy ; — as tinners they waited for
falvation, and they found the fweeteft peace in the
arms of the friend of their fouls.

A young woman fuifered for fome weeks the
moff excruciating pains, but me bore them with
the patience of a lamb ; a few days before her
death, when me was hardly able to move her lips,
fhe broug ht out the following words with a great
deal of difficulty, yet fo that I diilincTtly heard them.
" Oh ! I fuffer much, but here (pointing at her
heart) here, I have a friend, who comforts me,
my dear, dear Jeffs." — here me was obliged to
reft — fhe then wanted to tell me a great deal about
an inward ftruggle, but I could not rightly under-
ftand it ; afterwards fhe began again to fpeak a
little more intelligibly, and added very diftinct'y :

( 3» )

" But this is nothing, when I clofe mine eyes, oh then
I (hall be in Paradife, before the throne of my dear,
dear Lord Jefus, and that will be foon, very
foon /" She then reached me her dying hand,
and I went away rejoiced and ftrengthened in my
mind, having firft with praifes and thankfgivings
recommended her in my prayers to the care of the
good fhepherd — me died two days after.

A very young perfon, who had fuffered a great
deal during the ihort time fhe had been married,
lay fick with the fever but a few days, and mewed
in that fituation, what me had mewed in many
other circumftances, the greater! compofure ; when
fhe was very low ihe alked, "' Is it not Friday to
day?" and being anfwered in the affirmative, (he
replied with vifible joy of mind : Oh how good that
is, then I Jhall die on the fume day, whereon ivy
Saviour died for me ; and fhortly after ihe expired
on i hat very day.

It would be eafy to fill a whole book with an-
ecdotes of the deceafed, if the extraordinary
interruption and the great fatigue of going and
riding backward and forward to the fick and dy-
ing, had not rendered one at times, almofl totally
thoughtlefs ; but thefe few instances will (how the
reader how well prepared fome of the dying were,
for their great change.

[Inftances of frivolity in fome of thofe who were
in health.]

In general, more ferioufnefs, modefty, human-
ity, and brotherly love was obferved among the in-

( 39 )

habitants of the city, than ever before. It is tru£ ,
this was not the general character of all the citizens,
for fome of thofe very perfons of whom the wiie
king fays, " they bring the city into a mare" Prov.
XXIX, 8. "and who do not mind the punifhment"
chap. XII, i. — the fcornful could not, even now
refrain, here and there, from their fcorn. A well
meaning Chriftian was feriouily reproving one of
thofe on account of his levity; fhe (hewed him,thathe
and his companions,particularly,had been carrying
ftraw to this fire, by their profligate conduct; where-
upon he anfwered laughing, " That is all nonfenfe ;
if this was the cafe I certainly fhould burn in the fame
fire ; but you fee how healthy I am, the fame will not
touch me; what the priefls fay is all a farce; God does
not trouble himfelf about thefe judgments ; they have
their natural caufes." He was only anfwered "Be
not deceived, God is not mocked." And lo! in two
or three days after, the wretch was buried.

Another turned into jefl what he had heard in
church about this vifitation. a few days before his
ficknefs. In the laft night of his life an inexprefli-
ble anguifh feized him : he cried for a minifter,
whom nobody could bring on account of the great
diftance,and it being in the night ; at laft his diffrac-
tion affrighted his nurfes, and they fled out of the
room and left him alone : next morning at four
o'clock he was found out of his bed, and dead on
the floor.

Another fooliftily offered to lay a wager, that
he would not get the fever, and in two days af-
ter wa$ buried.

( 4o )

And where would the narration end, were one
to put down all that has happened of this kind
among us ?

[What increafed the terror of the Inhabitants.]

The terror which this diforder had fpread every-
where, was in fome instances greatly heightened
by its breaking out into real madnefs — Some of
thefe unfortunate creatures jumped out of their
beds, efcaped in the night time and would run'
fometimes a great diftance from their dwelling in-
to another ilreet, and fometimes into a ftrange
houfe if they found one open.

Add to this the groans and lamentations of fome
of the dying, which fometimes became fo loud as
to be heard diftinctly in fever al adjoining houfes
and in the flreet.

The external appearance moreover of thofe who
met one another in the flreet, increafed the alarm.
They generally had fpunges or handkerchiefs be-
fore their mouths and nofes, and fome even had the
mouth entirely covered. They Ihunned each other
through fear of being infected. Befides, the deep
mourning which appeared in drefs, and the dif-
trefs in the countenance, the conftant going back-
ward and forward of the dead-cart, eipecially its
doleful noife in the night time ; rendered the rltu-
ation of the city deplorable beyond defcription.

[Public Worfhip.]

Great as the diftrefs was, which under thefe cir-
cumftances, pervaded the whole city, there were

( 41 )

Hot wanting fuch occurrences as afforded comfort
particularly to our congregation, and which were
highly acceptable to the teachers as well as feverai
of its well difpofed and confiderate members. Se-
veral of thefe have been mentioned already in the
preceeding pages, particularly how the power of
the religion of Jefus had manifested itfelf in many
particular examples.

We have to add ftill, that the pre-eminence of
the Chriftian above the infidel was vifible every
where throughout the city : the Chriftian is a lover
of the word of God ; he loves to hear it difpenfed;
and hundreds expreffed in thefe days of diftrefs, a
wifh to be Chriftians in reality. They who defpifed
the doftrine of Jefus formerly, and perhaps even
blafphemed and mocked, now came frequently to
attend upon the preaching of the divine word,
which was ftill continued with us. Though a num-
ber of the members of our congregation had fled
into the country with their families, and a great
many of thofe who remained in the city, were
afraid of coming to church ; — though a good deal
had been faid, with a good intention, in the newf-
papers againft the aifembling for public worihip ;
though a great many were lick themfelves, or had
fick or dead perfons in their houfes and families,
and therefore at fuch times could not appear ; and
though the number of the deceafed was not in-
confiderable, yet, notwithftanding all this, our
meetings were often crouded, as if nothing of
the kind had taken place !

We faw now on Sundays and week-days people
attending fervice, whom we had never feen in our

G

( 42 )

church, or at leaft: very feldom feen there, before.
And the filence, the attention, the emotion, which
were obferved in our hearers ! — Ah ! what a fight,
what a fcene otherwife fo rare ! even during the
ringing, tears began to flow in various inftances,
which increafed during the fermon to afoftfobbing;
and then after the fermon — the humble fupplica-
tions throughout our blefTed Zion — the fighs —
the groans and the increafed guft of tears — the
contrite humble confefTion of fmfulnefs in the Mi-
nisters, who from conviction, ranged themfelves
foremofl amongft the pooreft hnners ; acknowledg-
ed a heartfelt regiiter of fins, and then threw
themfelves in the name of Jefus, into the arms of
a reconciled father — My God ! what hours were
thefe i what comfort pervaded our otherwife di-
ftreffed congregation ! for me it is impoflible to
defcribe what the Lord hath done among us.

To thefe bleflings mult be added moreover how
the Lord ufed to deal commonly with his minifter-
ing fervants ; thefe faw and felt very plainly the
confidence, the filial love of their hearers ; they
feared not any infidious fpy, who had come to draw
poifon from their difcourfes ; no fupercilious def-
pifer or fcorner ; and this fentiment gave them a
warm and loving heart and an open mouth.
Here prevailed not the ftiffnefs of an accurately
arranged and methodically divided fermon ; here
the friend, the lover, the father was fpeaking to
his children the fentiments of an upright heart ;
never during the time of our office, was preach-
ing a more welcome and blefTed duty, than
what we found it during this calamity, and never,
we fmcerely believe, were we fo ufeful in the vine-

( 43 )

yard of the Lord, as in thofe days* But here we
are obliged to add with great concern, that we
find ourfelves brought in guilty in a thing which
we had looked upon as having produced many
blelled effects ; we are charged of having done
confiderablc damage by our public worfhip : in
evidence of this charge they alledge the great num-
ber of deaths, in our congregation, above all
others in the city ; and what is of the greatefl con-
fequence, they attempt to prove our guilt from
Scripture.

£Anfwer to the charge refpe&ing the holding of
Public Worfhip.]

This charge having repeatedly been made againft
us, it is our duty to give a fliort anfwer to it in
thefe meets. Take it as follows :

We know that the Mofl High doth not dwell
in temples made with men's hands ; but that he
dwells in a contrite and humble mind ; but we
know likewife, that few people have a contrite and
humble heart at the time of the judgments of God,
and that the Lord makes ufe of his word, to pro-
duce in them this bleffed difpofition : we know
that the public preaching of the Gofpel, and com-
mon means of edification, promote the fame very
much ; we know that the Lord dwells with
fuch really contrite fouls particularly then, when
they unite in a church or in any other houfe for
his worfhip ; for has he not laid, " The Lord lov-
eth the gates of Zion more than all the dwelling-places
of Jacob:'' Has not our Bleffed Saviour given

( 44 )

this promife ? Where tivo or three are gathered in
my name ^ there am I in the midji of them. Has he not
called to us through his Apoille, Let us not for-
fake the affembling of our f elves together. Has there
been any exception made in any part of Scripture
with refpect to ficknefs, or the time of the plague?
Do we blame the firft Chriftians, when they afTem-
bled together for the common adoration of Jefus
Chrift at the utmoft hazard of their of lives?
was it not in thefe meetings where the bleffed
martyrs gathered courage and ftrength, joyfully to
flied their blood for Chriii's fake ? Do we believe
that the law of felf-prefervation would have excufed
them if they had for that reafon neglected the op-
portunities, which prepared the way for them to a
glorious death ? The narrow compafs of this fmali
pamphlet will not allow us to fay any more of the
bleffings of God upon fuch affociations of his peo-
ple ; and even of the Scriptural neceffity of fuch
meetings in times of calamity ; we will only add a
few remarks concerning our meetings themfelves,
from whence it will appear that we were extreme-
ly cautious, and endeavoured to render them not
only harmlefs, but even ufeful.

Very foon in the beginning of the diforder we
left off our evening prayers, as we thought that
they might perhaps be hurtful on account of the
evening air ; and becaufe many would perhaps not
change their clothes in the evening which they had
worn all day in fick-rooms. We fixed our meet-
ings in the morning, and we came together in our
large church and no longer in the fmall one, as be-
ing too near the grave-yard. This roomy building
was opened long before the time of meeting, in

( 45 )

order that the frefh morning air might pervade
it ; afterwards all the doors and windows were
fhut and a flrong fmoke of juniper berries and ni-
tre was made throughout the whole houie. Then
the people gathered ; when all were met, many or
few, or perhaps all of the windows and doors were
opened, according as the weather required.

Thofe who had fick people at home, or did not
feel well themfelves, were particularly requefted
not to come to our meetings ; all who attended
were advifed to fit as far apart as the numbers of
the hearers would permit. The fervice itfelf lafled
feldom longer than half or three quartes of an
hour.

In our difcourfes we did not confine ourfelves
to truths concerning falvation, but frequently in-
terfperfed other necefiary matters according to cir-
cumflances ; among thefe we reckon :

A repeated injunction, that the diforder was
contagious and that nobody ought to go near the
dead or into the nck-rooms without occafion :

A recommendation of certain necefiary and
harmlefs prefervatives :

A caution againft all that might be hurtful and
might promote the infection, fuch as intemperance
in eating and drinking ; uncleanlinefs of drefs and
body ; immoderate ufe of flrong liquors j catching
cold ; overheating ; fatigue, &c.

Directions how to conduct themfelves in the

( 46 )

tooms where the fick lay ; what was to be done
with the cloathing and bedding of the dead, and
feveral other particulars of the like nature. We
are well perfuaded that thefe and other directions
have been the means of faving the lives of many ;
but thefe we could not have given, if the faid
meetings had not been held.

We preached moreover Jefus, the friend of the
poor fmner ; the ready and Almighty phyfician
and affiftant in the greateft diflrefs ; we tried to
banifh all exceffive fear out of the minds of our
hearers, and infpire them with courage and con-
fidence in God ; we recited inftances of perfons of
our congregation who had given up their fpirits in-
to the hands of their heavenly Father with faith
and joy. We may fafely appeal to the evidence of
a number of thofe, who were then our hearers,
that we fay not too much when we aflert, that for-
getting almoft entirely the diilrefs that furrounded
us, and banifliing all fear from our minds (and ex-
perience has fhewn how hurtful fear has been to
the inhabitants of this city) we , could and really
did yield ourfelves into the hands of the Almighty
Father, with filial, penitent, but likewife compof-
ed confidence.

Such were the purpofes of our meetings, and
that thefe could be any ways injurious, will only
be averted by thofe who do not know the power
of religion, or who form to themfelves an idea of
the danger of infection from the diforder which pre-
vailed here, far above the poifon of the real plague.

Eut here the queftion will be afked, From whence

( 47 )

proceeded that very great and difproportionate
number of burials in your congregation?

To this queftion we give the following fatisfac-
tory anfwer—

Firjl. The number is not fo greatly out of pro-
portion as fome people may think, for our congre-
gation was always the molt numerous in births and
burials, of any in the city, according to the bills
of mortality, of which, every one may eahly con-
vince himfelf, by having rccourfe to the faid bills
for a few years pad ; and therefore, now, without
any thing extraordinary, the number would natu-
rally exceed that of the other congregations.

Secondly. It has been generally obferved, that
this fatal diforder, made a much greater havock
among the poor, than among the rich ; and a
great number of the members of our congrega-
tion, are of the poorer clafs.

Thirdly. For this very reafon, more perfons of
our congregation, remained in town than of any
other ; consequently were in greater numbers ex-
pofed to the danger and fwept away by it.

Fourthly. It mufl be flriking to every body, as
it was to us, that from the firft of Auguft, until
the fifteenth of September, the number of burials,
in our grave-yards, was fmaller than what it ought
to have been in proportion to other congregations,
and even to their own in former years, when a cal-
culation is made according to the lifts of burials ;
and yet, in thofe days we held as ufual, our meet-

( 48 )

ings for worfhip, without obferving all thofe pre-
cautions which we made ufe of afterwards ; and
there were as many members of our congregation
living in that part of the city, where the mortali-
ty began and fpread during the firft weeks, as
where it raged afterwards. Neverthelefs the num-
ber of our burials encreafed after the fifteenth of
September, in that difproportionate manner, in
which we now find it dated. Every reader will
naturally fuppofe, that there muft be a particular
reafon for this, and herein he is not miftaken. —
This reafon we trufl, we can give to every body's
fatisfatlion : Among the brethren who left the
city, was likewife the member, who had been ap-
pointed by our corporation, to grant the licenfes for
burial ; no one of the corporation would now
take this office upon himfelf; we were therefore
obliged to transfer it to our inviter, and that
under this injunction (which for good reafons was
highly neceffary at this time) that he mould give
leave for the interment of the dead to every one
gratis and without any particular enquiry ; the in-
viter himfelf was molt of his time at funerals, and,
therefore, could not always perfonally attend to
this bufinefs, but was obliged to leave it, to a
child of eight or nine years old, who gave tickets
to the grave-digger, to any one that came.

This circumflance was focn generally known ;
there was not a burying-ground in the whole city,
whither people could bring their dead with lefs
trouble than to ours ; and, befides all this, our
inviter and driver put the deceafed in the coffin
themfelves, and their friends had no occafion to
look for any other affiftance, numbers of people

( 49 )

came from all quarters on account of this conn-
derable advantage. Among thefe a great many
who had never before called themfelves members
of our congregation, applied to have their
dead buried in our grave-yards. I do not know
exactly how many we can reckon in our lift of the
dead whofe names were not even known to us
before ; but their number is certainly very great.
And now, who can be furprifed any longer, that
the number of our dead was fo very great, daring
the abovementioned time ? certainly nobody, who
confiders all thefe circumftances, will contend that
the reafon is to be found in our meeting for wor-
fhip.

The number of thofe who attended divine fer-
vice, and fickened or died, is proportionably fmall
compared with the number of thofe, who never or
at leafl very feldom attended our meetings and ne-
verthelefs were buried with us ; I never heard of a
fingle one of whom it could be fuppofed with any
degree of certainty, that he had taken the feeds of
the diforder in church ; and in regard to whom a
different and more probable caufe of the infection
could not be afngned.

Being very much concerned to (hew every rea-
der, that the public worfhip of God, has contri-
buted nothing to the mortality, we will add the
following circumftance : Out of the poor fociety
of our congregation twenty-four have died during
thefe fatal months; one of them died four hun-
dred miles from hence ; five of them frequented
the church conftantly. Three of thefe were in-
fected, by their clofe attendance on th« fick ; of

H

( 5° )

the two others we cannot fay this with fuch a tic-
gree of certainty, the other eighteen could no*:
have taken the infection in church, as they ac-
cording to the teftimony of feveral of our mem-
bers, (probably from fear) feldom or never at-
tended in thole days. If time permitted us to
enter into a more minute enquiry, we certainly
mould find a different caufe of infection in the
above-mentioned two perfons, than that of going
to church. We add moreover, that the lift of our
burials was kept with great accuracy ; whether the
fame ftri£t attention has been obferved in other
religious focieties, we do not pretend to fay ; but this
I hope we mail be permitted to fay ; that from feeing
the dead carts and hearfes travelling up and down
every ftreet daily, we mould have fuppofed the
amount of the dead confiderably larger than what
it has been publifhed. Perhaps there were not
wanting fome, who looked upon this judgment as
falling only upon the wicked, and were forry to
find fo many people of this clafs in their congre-
gations ; but we rather believe that the Lord
makes no difference in his general judgments ; we
believe that as fo many pious fouls have been
called off, this mortality has proved a harveft for
heaven. We could befides mention the names of
feveral, belonging to another religious fociety,
which pretended at a diftance, that none of their
members had died j who have been buried in ou*
grave-yards.

[Comfort during thefe weeks of Mourning.]

Difagreeable as it was to us to make this di-
grefiion from the more pleafant path, wherein we

( 5' )

wifhed to conduct our readers, it was neverthelefa
neceffary to add this fhort apology for our meet-
ings of worfhip. We mall now return to the
narration of that, which fupported our minds and
inftilled much comfort into them, amidft all the
diftrefs which we witneffed.

[Domeflic Service or Family Worfhip.}

It was in thefe days of mortality that donieftic
worfhip, which had been fo long and generally
neglected, had a blefled revival in ieveral families,
and prefented fcenes which fome of them will
never forget. I will, for the encouragement of our
youth, mention in this place, one circumflance,
only : A young woman one evening encouraged the
whole family to fing certain hymns with her,
which me herfelf had collected and tranfcribed
with her own hand into a book, and which all
pointed to Jefus, and in fome places treated of an
happy death ; fhe with great alacrity led the whole
company in finging, and continued this edifying
cxercife with much life and zeal until eleven
o'clock at night, and behold ! this was the laft
evening of life, wherein fhe was able to fing in
this world ; for a few days afterwards me was a
corpfe. But this exercife was without a doubt a
blefled preparation through the grace of Jefus
Chrift to fo near a difiblution.

[Comfort out of the Calamity itfelf.J

We reckon among the bleflings of thefe days,
thole folacing fenlations which faith fometimes
produced in the midft of this great diftrefs j fen-

C 5* )

fations, which the Lord ufually inftilled firft by
the inftrumentality of his word into the teachers,
and which were by their frequent difcourfes com-
municated to their hearers — and I mall not be
blamed perhaps, if from my journal of one day,
I put down in a few words, what on that day I
felt ; I will feleft a day, which brought us nearly
to the higheft pitch of diftrefs ; it was the 5th of
October, the very Saturday before that week,
wherein our congregation loft one hundred and
thirty of its members. The reader may eafily
imagine, that under thefe circumflances our poor
congregation mud be full of fick, and that the
diftrefs and the agonies of the fick, muft have ne-
ceffarily taken away the courage of the minifters
at their vifits, if the Lord had refufed them his
fupport ; but to the praife of his mercy we here-
with humbly acknowledge that the Lord did not
forfake us ; He affifted us. In the abovementioned
journal, it is recorded on the 5th of O&ober as
follows :

" Early awake — manifold anxieties of mind —
my prayer was barren, more barren than it has
been for a long time. My heart as cold as the air
of the morning is abroad.

" Text : Teach me to do thy will — Meditated
on Ifa. LXVI, 2. To this man I will look even to
him that is poor" — Went towards the church with
a heavy heart — On my way the diftrefs of a fa-
mily very dear to me was greatly increafed by the
relation given of it by a female friend, and this
augmented my uneafinefs which was great already.
Preached on Ifa. LXVI, 2. — During the difcourfe
my poor heart was enlarged-Oh! how I could evan-

( 53 )

gelize ! Thanks to thee, my blefled Redeemer I
Rode down into the Neck — Afterwards vifited the
following fick in the city — "

Here follow about thirty names of fick perions,
twelve whereof were buried a few days after —
Then it fays further :

" Blefled evening — blefled awful folitude —
The thought : The city is diftrcfjed — -fo many fa-
milies are diftrejfed — but the Lord looks down
upon the di/trefed, and who would' not willingly be
in a place on which the Lord looks down in mercy ?
This thought had fo much comfort for me, that I
forgot all the calamity around me —

" Oh ! dear, blefled Philadelphia, now more
blefled than ever, for the Lord looks down upon
thee — Happy I — and fo the Lord looks down up-
on me too in mercy, through Chrift — This look-
ing down comprehends the whole blefling of the
Old, as well as the New Teflament, in it is compri-
fed the grace of the Lord Jefus Chrifl, and the love
of God and the communion of the Holy Ghofl-—

66 Happy art thou ! oh my foul ! thou haft a
blefled portion ! here and there I behold perfons
kneeling, as foon as I begin to fpeak, in fick-
rooms and in the adjoining apartments — Ah ! what
a thirit after the word of God ; praifed be our
good Lord !"

The fympathy that was fliewn every where at
our diftrefs, was a matter of great comfort ; it has
been mentioned already in other general accounts,

( 54 )

how this fympathy from different pails was extend-
ed to all the poor of the city ; and how the committee
appointed here for that purpofe was fupported by
liberal contributions, to take care of the poor fick
at Brrm-Hill, and to provide for the widows and
orphans ; in this account we will only mention
what concerns our own congregation in particular,
and here we reckon,

Fir/l, The charitable donations which were fent
to cur widows and orphans — The Lancafter Con-.
greVation was the flrft and moil generous ; never
will the mmifters of the Evangelic Congregation
in Philadelphia forget the comfort which they de-
rived at that time in the midft of their diftrefs from
thefe tokens of love ; and never ought our whole
congregation to loofe the remembrance of the fif-
terly treatment which they have experienced in
this refpecl \ Germantown followed this Chriftian
example, and to both thefe congregations the
wawneft acknowledgments of their expreffions of
affection are offered in the name of our poor wi-
dows and orphans.

Secondly -, It was a great comfort to us whenever
we heard from oar brethren in the country ; and
this confolation was frequently fo encreafed by
their letters, that we were enabled to raife our-
felves above cur diurefs, and inftead of lamenta-
tions appear before the Lord with praife and
thankfffivinsr. Mav Terns Chrifl grant to thefe
miniiters and other brethren, that comfort in the
hour of death, which by their letters they have
conveyed to us in the greatest danger of life.

( 55 )

Thirdly, The bleffing of the fervent prayers of
fo many pious fouls, was a great fupport to our
minds ; we could, as one may fay, feel that ma-
ny others, even far diftant brethren, amfied us in
bearing the burthen which fometimes would be-
come too heavy for us. And how much more
will eternity difcover of all this to our mutual joy.
Good God ! how will our hearts, then no longer
bleeding at thy judgments, there mix in pure ce-
leftial exftacy, and even for thefe very afflictions
praife thee in eternal drains, for " our light afflic-
tions which are but for a moment, work out for
us a far, more exceeding and eternal weight of
glory." Amen, Hallelujah !

FINIS.

• * ARMY * *
MEDICAL LIBRARY

Cleveland Branch

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